Turbos squad close to being finalised for 16th season
Opportunities for players to bounce out of club rugby into the Manawatu¯’s Turbos are becoming precious.
Evenwith fewer than half of last season’s Turbos coming back and three months out from the NPC, there are only three contracts to fill, amidfielder, an outside back and a tighthead prop.
Players can be mustered week-by-week if injuries hit and one who germinated last yearwhen called in for the final four games after both No 8s fell over was former Varsity captain Kirk Tufuga.
He and brother Sam are now with the Hunter Wildfires from Newcastle in the Sydney Shute Shield competition as is last year’s lock Sam Liebezeit.
Recent Turbos such as wing-fullbacks Adam Boult and Ben Werthmuller and first-five Ben Wynessmust play their way in via club rugby. Lively Varsity wing Koriewinters, back from playing for Edinburgh in the Pro 14, deserves a look.
There’s a glut of young halfbacks. Bryn Wilson took over when Jamie Booth was injured last season but three other challengers for the No 2 spot include Griffin Culver (Feilding) and plying the Kayne Hammington route are Wellington training squad and Petone halfback Loganhenry (Feilding Old Boys-oroua) and College Old Boys’ Ben Stephens (formerlymarist-st Pat’s).
The NPC draw hasn’t been sighted yet but kickoff is rumoured to be the first week of Augustwith Manawatu¯ playing at home.
Two big names won’t be there. Prop Mike Ala’alatoa will be with Leinster in Ireland and All Black Nehe Milner-skudder, after 51 games for Manawatu¯, has designs on playing overseas.
Peter Russell is in his third season as head coach being assisted by formermanawatu¯ prop Greg Fleming who has replaced Hunterville shearing contractor Shane Ratima. Aaron Good was also let go leaving Russell in sole charge of the backs’ division.
Skipper Booth is on the mend from his knee smash at Napier which wrecked his Hurricanes season. He’s back to straight-line running and on track to front for the pre-season games against Auckland at Taupo on
July 23 and Wellington at Levin on July 30.
Signing two Crusaders has been an encouraging start, propharrison Allan and first five-eighth Brett Cameron.
So was signing last season’s jackal find from Wellington, flanker Shamu Hurley-langton, for two years. He will be partnered by Johnny Galloway.
The Turboswouldn’t turn down an extra $60,000 or so should the complex Silver Lake deal get over the line because Manawatu must keep All Blacks Aaron Smith and Ngani Laumape on their books.
Many young Manawatu¯ men have been attracting interest from Super franchises. Feilding centre Josiah Maraku has been with the Blues and playing for Auckland club College Rifles. He will again partner Turbo James Tofa.
Athletic young Kia Toa lock Ofa Tauatevalu, formerly from Gisborne, has been with the Hurricanes and will be contracted to them next year. Also in the Canes mix will be 2019NZ Schools hooker Ben Strang who has been on the flank for Varsity because of their glut of hookers.
With hooker Sam Stewart working and living in Christchurch, last year’s second string No 2, Siua Maile, who has trained with the Crusaders, will be the senior hooker ahead of Strang. Accurate lineout throwing will be the big call there.
No 8 Brayden Iose is getting recognition with the Hurricanes, but unfortunately the flying steam train, Tyler Laubscher, has played just one game for Varsity and has been released by the Hurricanes to repair a groin injury which will sideline him for 12 more weeks.
The Hurricanes have Feilding dynamo TK Howden under their wings. Lock Liam Mitchell is in a final year of a Canes contract but is valuable property for the Turbos, as again will be Varsity’s Micaiah Torrance-read and 2.03m lock James Poloniati signed from Wellington.
Gone are illness-plagued lock Tom Hughes and Filo Paulo (to Avalon in Wellington). Michael Fitzgerald is unlikely to play again because of his back injury.
We won’t see props Solomona Sakalia (retired), Paulo Leleisiuao (Australia) and Fijian Samu Tawake who is in the United States playing for Rugby United New York and has been released from his Manawatu¯ contract.
After loosehead Kyle Stewart excelled for the Turbos last year, his Taranaki union grabbed him back for two years; but Feilding’s Tietie Tuimauga has stayed.
Gone from the backs are wings Newton Tudreu, Te Rangatira Waitokia (with Rugby ATL in Atlanta, USA) after his best season, and big man Nigel Ah Wong (Brisbane).
Young talent such as utility Drewwild and firstfive Stewart Cruden are safely contracted and there is a stack of talent being groomed in the Manawatu¯ Academy.